Obama played dumb with Dalai Lama: Chinese daily

Beijing, Feb 22: US President Barack Obama played dumb during his meeting with the Dalai Lama at the White House Friday, a leading Chinese daily said Saturday.

“National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden reiterated that the US recognises Tibet to be part of China, but at the same time she emphasized US support for human rights and religious freedom in China,” The Global Times said in an editorial.

“It is another world-class show of playing dumb. So far, China has found no effective way to counter such acts.”

It said as China was growing stronger, practices like US presidents meeting the Dalai Lama or selling arms to Taiwan were having little impact.

“But still, Friday’s meeting embarrassed China. Beijing had to protest, but the protest did not make much difference,” it stated.

“There are tens of thousands of Tibetans in exile, among whom about 1,000 are actively seeking Tibetan independence. But the Dalai clique has been on the decline and is seeing an increasingly unclear future. They are grasping at the West for support,” it added.

According to the editorial, for the US, the Dalai Lama is an easy card to play though he is not as powerful as before but still it is a card to deal with China.

“The instant effect of the meeting between Obama and the Dalai Lama is nothing but some loss of face for China. It only serves as a reminder for the Chinese people to get a better understanding of what the US is,” it said.

The daily said China and the US were trying to build a new type of relationship but “Obama’s repeated meetings with the Dalai Lama have hurt this hard-won consent to build mutual trust between China and the US”.

“Obama has given the Chinese a hard time again. But as long as China keeps its momentum in growing stronger, China will be more resourceful in dealing with such situations,” it stated.

It said though the Dalai clique has been living in an “out-of-date self-deceiving fantasy”, Western leaders have met the Tibetan spiritual leader one after another, despite his influence continuing to dwindle. Except some funding, Western countries have nothing to give them.

“Whether it is effective or not, China must protest Obama’s meeting with the Dalai Lama. This is the declaration of our stance,” the editorial said.

“The US is clear that in the political game over the Dalai Lama, time and justice stand with China,” it stated.